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| AXIS 206 and 211 network cameras monitor the main trading, office, and outdoor loading dispatch areas |
Favco, a leader in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry in Australia, was experiencing increasing levels of theft at their Brisbane Markets location. To prevent continued stock loss, the Favco team wanted a surveillance solution to help ensure the security of their high value stock. They wanted a system that allowed them to monitor the front section where customers purchase and collect their goods, and also to monitor the dispatch and loading area at the back of the premises.
Solution
AKM Security Surveillance, an Axis partner, installed four AXIS 206 Network Cameras to monitor the main trading and office areas, while another four AXIS 211 Network Cameras were installed to survey the outdoor loading dispatch area at the rear of the facility. Video monitoring is managed both on site and remotely.
The facility has a permanent display in the forecourt showing all the live camera feeds and the surveillance system is connected to its own server on the Favco network so any authorized computer on the network and personnel can access the video. Storage is provided to retain three months of video.
Result
The installation of the monitoring system has eliminated practically all stock loss and provided improved order reconciliation. "The security camera system has had an immense impact since being introduced, so much so that we hardly lose any stock at all now," said Michael Shakespeare, Manager Chep/Quality at Favco. "Reliability has been central to its success with little need for servicing and only one camera has required replacement since the system was installed three years ago."
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| The AXIS 206 provides surveillance of the building interior with each camera monitoring 20m² areas of stock control |
Since its inception in 1999 Favco has grown beyond the realm of a traditional market wholesaler to become a leader in the fresh fruit and vegetable industry in Australia. The family business is focused on providing personal service and individual attention to all of its partners and customers and has built a team that represents some of the most experienced fruit and vegetable personnel in the industry. Favco's facilities in the Brisbane Fruit and Vegetable Markets consist of a temperature-controlled market selling floor and a distribution centre containing a controlled atmosphere order assembly facility. It provides access to a very large and varied customer base enabling Favco to market entire crops of produce.
The Brisbane Markets get extremely busy when the buyers arrive to pick up their stock and the team at Favco was finding that more stock was being removed from the selling floor than the amounts allocated to buyers. This could range from people walking up to the call section at the back of the facility and lifting a box of cherries worth AU$15 a kilo, to forklifts taking whole pallets from the main buying area. Considering how expensive seasonal products like mangoes and cherries are, and that at any one time Favco can have AU$10,000-$20,000 of stock available on the sales floor ready for buyers to collect, it is clear that the cost of missing stock can quickly mount.
To prevent continued stock loss the Favco team wanted a solution that allowed them to monitor the front section where customers purchase and collect their goods, and also to monitor the dispatch and loading area at the back of the premises. In total this is a 50m by 25m area. AKM Security Surveillance was recommended to Favco for the work they had done at other markets and food processing sites, such as the Rocklea Markets in Brisbane and the Harvest Moon Produce facility in Tasmania.
The system makes it very quick and easy to reconcile completed orders and prevents extra orders being completed by mistake |
AKM worked with Favco to install an IP solution based on Axis network cameras to monitor the front trading section, the storage and distribution site at the rear of the facility and the office area. All cameras are sensor-activated and record any movement in their field of vision. The AXIS 206 provides surveillance of the building interior with each camera monitoring 20m² areas of stock control. Dave Collidge, Managing Partner at AKM Security Surveillance added: "The AXIS 206 Network Cameras are a great value for money option for this type of application as they are very reliable and the quality of the images they provide is excellent."
The front trading floor and rear dispatch areas are monitored by AXIS 211 Network Cameras, which are particularly good low-light cameras that deliver excellent image quality in all light conditions. The AXIS 211 is designed to operate in extreme environmental conditions and is fitted with a waterproof casing which guarantees its ability to deliver continuous monitoring in Favco's dispatch cold room, which frequently stores large volumes of produce and expensive stock. Image monitoring is managed both onsite and remotely.
The facility has a permanent display in the forecourt showing all the live camera feeds and the surveillance system is connected to its own server on the Favco LAN so any computer on the network can access the cameras images. Storage is provided to retain three months of video and Favco operates a security policy that limits access to the surveillance software to authorized employees only. Any authorized team member can connect onsite or remotely and the StakeOut management software is very simple and intuitive to use so all the team are comfortable with it.
Proven results provide peace of mind
The main benefit of the system is that it keeps everyone honest. Since its installation in 2007 the cameras have identified a number of instances where people have attempted to take excess stock, whether by accident or on purpose. The monitoring system has prevented these losses and also provides proof of when buyers have collected their produce without a written order being produced. The system makes it very quick and easy to reconcile completed orders and prevents extra orders being completed by mistake, which makes a real difference to Favco's bottom line.
